Think of the most important and influential people in the first 10 or 12 years of your life. Could be your parents, your childhood friends … and your teachers. Ball State’s Department of Elementary Education equips you to make a career of playing that influential and memorable role in the lives of young children.

We offer many academic options. Our undergraduate degrees focus on early childhood education and elementary education, and either of those options can be combined into a dual major with special education. Specialized concentration areas range from language arts and English as a second language to mathematics and science. All undergraduate students leave prepared to earn an Indiana teaching license.

Our master’s program, meanwhile, allows teachers to build additional expertise in an area of interest, such as reading, high-ability students, or autism. At the doctoral level, the EdD in elementary education is for those aiming for a leadership role in education, and the PhD in elementary education is for graduate students interested in becoming college professors.

In keeping with Ball State’s strong belief in immersive and experiential learning, we offer extended opportunities in local classrooms and on the other side of the world. We are also committed to making a positive impact on the community through service programs that also happen to provide valuable experience for our students. Also blending community service, real-world connections and great learning opportunities is Teachers College’s Burris Laboratory School, a K-12 incubator and innovator of effective teaching models.

Many of our students attend classes with the help of scholarships and financial aid, including Teachers College scholarships and assistance open to all Ball State students.